The Clean Eating Diet

18th May 20160 comments

Over many years, the world has been witness to countless diet fads that swear to be the diet to end all diets. However, the problem with them is that they are seen to be only temporary in their quest to make people achieve a slimmer body for a special occasion, such as a holiday or wedding.

Many people find that their interest in continuing their diet rapidly diminishes after the special occasion has taken place. This yo-yo dieting can be damaging to health. The best way to view a diet is as a lifestyle option, choosing carefully selected foods to feed your body with the correct vitamins and nutrients to help boost health and the clean eating diet just so happens to promote this exact thing.

With celebrity devotees including Gwyneth Paltrow backing the diet, the once simple world of healthy food has now been merged with the glamorous world of celebrity and people are beginning to listen.

So in this blog, we take a look at the clean eating diet craze that is quickly gaining popularity across the globe.

What is Clean Eating?

Unlike many diets from the past which have encouraged people to cut down on foods, clean eating takes a different approach to dieting. Instead of cutting down on foods completely, to eat clean simply means cutting out the unhealthy, processed foods and opting for foods that are organic, free from chemicals and where possible, in their most naturally raw state.

Whereas the traditional diet is perceived as a temporary state in order to lose weight; the clean eating diet aims to alter its follower's mindset into changing their eating habits in the long-term so that they can lead a healthier lifestyle.

Although the diet has found itself being named under the modern and sleek term of 'Clean Eating', the foundation and approach to this diet is quite simple. If you can imagine our world without the processed foods, colourings and preservatives; the diet is somewhere between living in caveman times and the modern day world.

The Clean Eating Diet

What Foods You Should Cut Out

As the clean eating diet is eating at its most simplest and purest form, foods that should be cut out are most of the modern day 'essentials' that have made our lives easier but to the detriment of our health.

Processed Foods

Processed foods are one of the worst offenders to our diet, because they are often filled with added sugars, colours, preservatives and a high level of salt.

Although many people know that ready meals are classed as processed foods, many do not realise that a large percentage of foods bought from supermarkets are processed. Foods such as breakfast cereals, bread, cheese and snacks are all processed.

With ready meals being packed with added sugars and salts, they are not only detrimental to our health but they can also encourage us to lead a less healthier lifestyle.

What Foods You Should Eat

If you are looking for some inspiration to add to your clean eating shopping list, then take a look at some of the best tips on eating clean and the best foods that you can eat when following the diet.

Eat More!

Unlike many other diets, the clean eating diet means that you increase your intake of meals, so instead of eating three meals a day with snacks in-between, the clean eating diet encourages its followers to have around six, small meals each day.

This helps to increase your metabolic rate, meaning that you are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods.

However, despite crisps and chocolates being off the menu, there are a range of alternative snacks that you can enjoy eating on the clean eating diet.

Fruit

Fruit is one of the main foundations of a clean eating diet, filled with vitamins and minerals which are essential to our health and well-being.

They are also filled with natural sugars, which are not as harmful to our health than the added sugars that you find in sweets. With the health experts recommending that people should eat around five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, there is little wonder why fruit is a key aspect to leading a healthier lifestyle.

With this diet, you can enjoy eating many fruits, here are some of the healthiest options:

Apples

Avocado

Bananas

Berries

Coconut

Grapes

Lemon

Lime

Oranges

Tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain a great amount of vitamins and minerals.

When you lead a clean eating lifestyle, nuts and seeds are a fantastic snack because of their great amount of nutrients that they contain along with the fact that they are usually high in fiber which means that they can make you feel fuller for longer.

Almond Nuts - A small handful of almond nuts contains around 37% of your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin E, which helps to protect against cell membrane damage.

Brazil Nuts - Renowned for being high in antioxidants, which help to fight against free radicals that cause diseases such as cancer.

Vegetables

Vegetables are another key aspect of the clean eating diet. They are super important to health as they contain vitamins, minerals and are packed with antioxidants.

You can combine fruits and vegetables to create healthy smoothies that will boost health.

Brocolli

Carrots

Kale

Lettuce

Peppers

Tomatoes

Oils

Oils are a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients an have been used by our ancestors for thousands of years. Some oils are considered superfoods including coconut oil, which is one of most popular products.

The oils can be used in cooking to pouring over salads, offering a delicious taste with a blast of health-boosting properties.

Coconut Oil - Considered a superfood, coconut oil has found popularity over previous years for its amazing properties. Used as easily in cooking as it is in health and beauty remedies, the uses for coconut oil is vast.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Although used quite often in cooking, the benefits of olive oil are often undervalued. Studies have shown that olive oil has been able to decrease the risk of developing cancer and acting as a preventative measure for its return in those who have suffered with the disease in the past.

wholegrains

Although wholegrains have a reputation for being a bad part of our diet, they actually are quite beneficial to our health, as long as you choose the right ones and eat them as part of a balanced diet.

Brown Rice - Brown rice is high in fiber and is rich in a range of minerals which are beneficial to health. Having one cup of brown rice can account for 80% of your daily manganese requirements. It is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones.

Quinoa - Considered one of the superfoods of the world, quinoa has been a part of diets for thousands of years. Quinoa has an amazing range of health properties including being high in vitamin B and vitamin E. Quinoa is also a healthier alternative to rice and as the grain originates from South America, there are many exciting dishes that you can include it in.

Clean Eating Recipes

Many people assume that clean eating means that you have to sacrifice flavour in order to eat healthier. However there are ways to add a blast of flavour to clean dishes with a range of organic herbs and spices which themselves, are packed with great health boosting properties.

Ginger - Ginger is mostly used in dishes from the is a traditional remedy for common illnesses such as colds and flu. Many pregnant women eat products with ginger in them to stop nausea during pregnancy.

Mint - Mint is an amazing herb and many people are not aware of its full potential in benefiting health and well being. Mint can not only be used on a variety of dishes, but it can also be used to calm upset stomachs.

Turmeric - Turmeric is an amazing spice which is mostly used in Indian cuisine. It is bright in colour and it's health benefits shine through. From being a great way to fight acne and improve complexion to helping to slow down the progression of diseases, this is a great spice for both cooking and health properties.